Help..wanting to get off opiates suboxone/subutex takers..

Hi. My son was in the same boat last year.  Only he was on onxy and fentanel.  My suggestion is to speak to your doctor.  You will need a medication, I forget what it is, to combat the withdrawal.  Jeff got off all the stuff I a matter of a week or two but the withdrawal was bad.  He did have some medication to help, which he took, but he did it way too fast.  But there are ways to get off the stuff safely.  Good for you for wanting to get off.  It's a difficult road but can be done.  But seriously, speak to the doctor, they can be a big help.  Good luck!

dianne

Oh, I just re-read your note.  If you don't feel comfortable with your pain management doc, which by the way, you are lucky to have, see your primary or go to an emergency room.  Jeffrey went through his primary doctor, she was a great help.  

Not sure if this is pertinent or not but...

I have been on Tramadol 50mg/2-8/day since last August when I had a slip & fall. I also took high doses of NSAIDs, muscle relaxants (decontractile) and anything that they were willing to give me for the pain.

About a month ago I realized that I was probably 'hooked' on the pain meds but the pain was still there as bad or worse.

So I started to taper off slowly. First the NSAIDs due to serious stomach problems creeping up and the fear of what it was doing to my liver and digestive tract.

I also hated the side effect of Tramadol on my k pouch...Things were too slow and too thick.

I cut out the morning dose first trying to manage without. I kept the after work dose (that is when I am worse, after a long day on my feet and running around) and finally gave up the nighttime one. 

It took me 2-3 weeks to taper off. While in ICU last week they put me back on it but I tried to avoid taking it at all whenever possible (the advantage being that when you do take it again it seems to become more effective).

I do not know if tramadol is habit forming or not but I didn't like the fact that it was part of my daily routine and had become part of my 'normal' day.

I just got back from 4 days at a Thalassotherapy hotel  (hot water spa) where I spent 3hrs/day min working out and exercising specifically in a pool to help me to push past the pain...it has done wonders for my lower back and abdominal pain. 

So much so that I don't feel most of the horrible vomiting pain that I was feeling before.

This has got to become my alternative because I cannot accept living off of drugs for the rest of my life...I am too young...what will be left for me later on? 

They spoke to me about pain management doctors and clinics while I was hospitalized...they want to send me there but I know that they are going to put me on something stronger and the likelihood that I will have the courage to break the habit twice is weak. 

Are there any alternative methods of pain control that you can use? Tens machines? Massage? Yoga? Pilates? 

I didn't see you mention what your pain is and where it is situated? What kind of pain? Gut? Joint? Muscular? Although I know that a lot of pains can only be controlled with meds some can still improve with the above methods.

Sharon

Sharon, I believe Tramadol is not addictive.  It. Is more in the NSAID I think.  And a question, what were you doing in ICU last week?????  

I hope tou you are doing better my dear!

dianne

Hi Dianne, 

Well, long story short...visual halo on the left side, numbness in the left arm and hand...ambulance, much ado about nothing or maybe something...I am not sure...but I had every test that they could give me from belly-button up.

After 4 days in ICU and 1 day step-down I took off. (with permission, prescriptions, advice and lots of explanations of what it wasn't).

For now, I took 4 days off, floated in a pool, ate well, slept and am home feeling better...

Apparently, Tramadol is a pain med and not an anti-inflammatory but an opiod moderate to severe pain...(I just looked it up)...with the same side effects as other opioids...thus my fear.

Hope that Jeff is doing well.

Sharon

Glad to Hear you're okay Sharon. Yes I was aware that tramadol is a synthetic opioid. I have actually read stories online of tramadol being just as addictive as oxycodone, hydrocodone etc. and that some people even resort to heroin after tramadol which to me is crazy. I plan on asking tomorrow wabojt getting off the oxycodone and the morphene ER and hopefully be allowed to switch to subutex which prevents the craving of WD and also helps for mainenance of chronic pain. If my PM dr allows me to switch to subutex I will Eventually taper off when I no longer need any pain meds to limit wd.. unfortunately I have no time to do the swim therapys and other therapys due to work and colleege taking up all of my free time, not to mention the cost it will probably be!

Oh Sharon, I'm so sorry.  I get tramadol and toradal mixed up.  Jeff is in the hospital at the moment.  Bowel obstruction.  I swear it's because he eats like crap. But this too shall passs.

please get better!  I worry about you

Thanks for caring...some days it feels like I fly under the radar and no one notices me...I had a taste of ICU and loneliness...no visits other than hubby after work for a few minutes... I realized that without him I would not have had clean anything for a week!  I needed friends and family and got none...the price to pay for being in a far off suburban hospital with no direct transport.

So sorry for Jeff, 

You need to understand that when you are restricted for so long, reduced to eating nothing for days, weeks, months and longer when you can finally eat again, you jump on everything not nailed down (or do the opposite and are terrified of putting anything in your mouth!).

I am pushing past this thing, whatever it was...they still don't know but I honestly suspect that it may have been because of the tramadol...coming down brutally and not doing it progressively...I just looked up the symptoms and side effects and they are all there...So maybe I should have thought to look it up first, before stopping the drug without a plan. 

One should never come off of long-term use of opiates without doing a step-down...or there will be consequences. 

I never learn!

How are you doing? 

Sharon

KC,

I do 95% of my workouts at home. I own about $50 worth of equipment and that is it. I have been using most of it for around 10 yrs...that comes out to about $5/yr in expenses...

I use: 1 large pilates ball, inflatable. 

1 small inflatable ball (about the size of a soccer ball)

Hand weights: in bracelet format. 1lb and 2lbs 

Elastic bands, all sizes and shapes

1 yoga mat. 

Various back belts, knee braces etc according to my needs.

Most of my workouts are based on me climbing stairs, walking in place, basic yoga, ballet and pilates movements (I learned on internet, take new moves slowly and do not continue if something hurts). I started out slowly, only doing a few minutes at a time, like while waiting for the water to boil or something in the microwave to cook...I use my kitchen counter as a ballet barre.

It gets eaiser over time as your muscles get stronger the pain eases a bit...at least that is my finding. 

I have stairs in my apartment so they are very useful for cardio but I have an ancient exercise bike too.

Let me know if you want me to help you with a routine that will work for your life and your body.

Sharon

Sharon, youmare correct.  Last year Jeffrey came off opioids way too fast.  He could have killed himself!  He was on fentenal and oxy and God knows what else.  He came off in two weeks time.  Way too fast.  But he did have some anixity medication to counter the side effects.  Sweetheart, please know that so many people do care!  We may not all be there but you are in our thoughts and do care! Please slow down a little bit and take care !  When are you coming to the US?

Thanks, 

It is just so frightening to go through everything alone...hubby is useless in medical situations, panic is his default setting so he barely remembered to bring me deodorant...fortunately cell phones exist and he would call from the bathroom or bedroom. As for friends and family...they are in the 'oh, she is just sick again...' mode...meaning that it isn't very important when it happens to me...I will survive, they don't need to bother to check in on me.

As for the meds, I just stopped cold. I didn't take a few weeks. I just didn't take the evening dose then I skipped the next morning...figured if I wasn't screaming in pain I was doing ok...I must have don't something nasty to my body for it to react the way that it did.

So...please, do not be me (stupid); talk to your doctor first before discontinuing and then ask for help.

Sharon